Due to the decision by Joe Biden to move the primary in South Carolina to the first Tuesday in the nation in 2024, it has opened old wounds within the party. It also revealed the divisions within the party regarding the proposed nomination calendar.
Last week, Democrats decided to drop Iowa from its traditional position as the first state in the presidential primary season. Instead, the party will begin its primary season in South Carolina.
According to Biden, the move was made to prioritize diversity.
Tensions within the party were raised after former Vice President Joe Biden moved the primary in South Carolina, where he won the 2020 election, to the next year. Some believe that he used this move to grab power.
Fifteen years ago, South Carolina joined the early voting list in an effort to increase the state's diversity. It has typically been a third-place performer in the early voting rankings.
South Carolina's early position in the presidential primary season gives Biden an advantage if he runs for president in 2024. It helped him secure the White House during his previous run. It also likely means that he would have a huge lead over the other potential challengers.
Democratic strategist Michael Starr Hopkins said that the decision to move the South Carolina primary was made to support Biden's second run for the presidency. He noted that the former vice president established the ground game for another campaign.
South Carolina has a large African-American community, which is considered to be a vital part of the Democratic Party. Some members of the party have criticized those who opposed the move, accusing them of suppressing the voices of African-Americans.
On Twitter, Jaime Harrison, who is the chairman of the Democrats National Committee, said that the party would not tolerate discrimination against African-Americans. He noted that these individuals are dedicated to fighting for freedom and equality.
Those accusations resulted in a back-and-forth online, with other Democratic lawmakers calling the comments “insulting.”
A former campaign manager for Sanders criticized the claims about the Democratic Party not caring about African-Americans in South Carolina. He said the party should just get real and start addressing the issue.
The committee that oversees the presidential primary calendar of the Democratic Party finalized the schedule last week. It is expected that the full committee will vote on it sometime early next year.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on WASHINGTON EXAMINER.
